A Lovely soup for the Summer, great starter idea.

1 vegetable stock cube
800ml warm water
2 medium Courgettes (zucchini), sliced
1 x chopped Red Pepper
1 x chopped onion( medium)
1 x clove of crushed garlic
Salt and black pepper, to taste
250ml Cream
Snipped parsley

Method:
In a 2l saucepan dissolve the stock cube with warm water, add the garlic, courgette, Red Pepper and onion. Cover and bring to a simmer then cook for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the soup to cool then purée in food processor or blender until smooth. Add to a pan, bring to serving temperature, stir-in the cream and serve garnished with parsley and crusty bread rolls.

The 2010 Killarney Race meetings are kicking off this weekend.

The magnificent scenery is what draws the huge crowds to Killarney and the mountains and lakes that cradle the racecourse make it arguably the most beautiful in the country.

The Racecoure is located 1 km outside Killarney town just off the Muckross Road. Within walking distance of the town center.

The Killarney Races are one of the premier Race meetings of the year, where the Craic is mighty and the stakes are high!

The Killarney Court  Hotel is is the ideal venue to stay when attending the races, get the best rates online www.killarneycourthotel.com

We hope to see you all here for one of the meeting in 2010.

for more info on the upcoming race meeting go to http://www.goracing.ie/Content/HRI/hriracecourses.aspx?id=592

We have some last minute offers for this weekend. Stay on Friday 30th April OR Sun 2nd May – Only € 79 per room for 2 persons sharing with breakfast. Great Lastminute deal call 1890 930 033 or email: lee@rlynehotels.com to avail of this offer

I have not been ‘Bloging’ recently; sorry about that, it has been a hectic time here in Killarney trying to keep the show on the road for our guests. We had an excellent turnout for our Murder Mystery weekend at Halloween and over 150 people joined in the fun with great fancy-dress by them all. Our March Murder Mystery had a good turnout too but I suppose Halloween time is the real festive time for dressing up. I’m really looking forward to our next one in October; I will keep you posted on that.

We are looking forward to a good busy season here at the Court with great value to be had for all. We have recently installed the Wii console in our playroom which will be available to children who are on our Kiddies club activities. These clubs are available (with prior booking) from 6-9 each evening and also on Saturdays when from 2-4 we do a trip to Buddies Soft Play centre which is only 5 minutes away from us and really great fun for all the youngsters. I’ll be back again with a more detailed Blog next week and will fill you in on all the local news here from the Court.

Derek Carroll

Grilled Pineapple with Whisky Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream

1 Large Pineapple

2 teaspoons Butter

 ¼ cup Brown Sugar

¼ cup Whiskey  / Brandy / Rum

Vanilla Ice Cream

Method:

Cut the top and bottom off of the pineapple, peel and cut it crosswise into 8 rings.

Use a spoon or apple corer to carve out the center core of each ring.

Heat a Griddle pan or a Frying pan over a medium heat, brush the pan with a little vegetable oil to prevent the pineapple from sticking.

Grill / Pan fry the pineapple, in 2 or 3 batches, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until it is nicely brown and grill marks have appeared.

While the last batch of pineapple cooks, heat the butter, sugar and rum in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.

Place a pineapple ring on each plate, scoop 1/4 cup of ice cream into the center of the ring, and drizzle about 2 teaspoons of sauce on top.

June 2009,

Summer has come to Kerry! We have been blessed with great weather so far this June and hope that it will last well into the season!

There are some great events coming up this Summer in Kerry and lots to do for the whole family.

On the 18th July, the world famous all Girl Band, the Pussycat Dolls are playing Live in Killarney at the Fitzgerald Stadium, which is sure to be a Sell Out gig.

Other events & attractions include the Killarney Summerfest ( Festival is running 3rd – 19th July), go for a Cruise on the lakes of Killarney, a visit to Ross Castle & Muckross House or take a trip around the Ring of Kerry, to name a few.

We have some great deals at the Killarney Court Hotel for June & July, we are offering Two nights Bed & Breakfast One Dinner from € 99pps Midweek and € 119pps On Weekends

There is a great new fun trip, the Original Killarney Ghost Tour, which departs nightly at 20h30. It is a Theatrical Bus Tour, taking you to locations associated with ghostly apparitions, stories & local Folklore, for more information www.killarneyghosttour.com

For more information on any specials, please dont hesistate to contact us on 064 6637070 or email lee@rlynehotels.com

Barbequed Greek Style Chicken with Mediterranean Potato Salad

120 ml olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 g chopped fresh rosemary

2 g chopped fresh thyme

6 g chopped fresh oregano

2 lemons, juiced

1820 g chicken, cut into pieces

Method:

In a glass dish, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and lemon juice. Place the chicken pieces in the mixture, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat Barbeque for high heat.

Oil the Grill grid on the barbeque. Place chicken on the grill, and discard the marinade. Cook chicken pieces up to 15 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Smaller pieces will not take as long.

Salmon & Herb Fishcakes

Serves 4

600g skinless salmon fillets

2 bay leaves

small bunch herbs ( Parsley and /or Dill), stalks and fronds separated

600g potatoes , peeled and chopped into even sized chunks

zest 1 lemon

4 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp mustard

4 tbsp capers , rinsed and dried

flour , for dusting your hands

1 egg , beaten

100g breadcrumbs

4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

lemon wedges to serve

Poaching the Salmon in a little water with the bay leaves and the stalks from the herbs for  about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes then drain the liquid. Flake the salmon into large chunks and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 10 mins, or until tender. Drain well, and then leave to cool in a colander for 2 mins. Mash the potatoes. Stir in lemon zest, mayonnaise, mustard, capers and some seasoning.

Pat away any liquid from the fish, and then carefully lift the pieces into the pan with the mash. With your hands, gently mix together until roughly combined; it should take just a few movements or the fish will break up.

Dust hands and work surface with flour.

Shape a handful of the mix into a patty-shaped cake, about 2.5cm thick.

Repeat to make 8 cakes.

Dip the cakes into the egg, then press into the breadcrumbs all over.

Heat half the oil in a frying pan until very hot.

Fry the fish cakes for 5 mins each side until golden.

Repeat with the rest, adding extra oil if neccessary

Serve with lemon wedges & Mayonnaise.

Letter from the General Manager.

Here we are at the start of April and another season ahead of us .The winter period has been quieter than others but we still have had a productive winter and been able to offer great rates for our guests and will do so for the coming year as can be seen from our specials page on this website .

 For example we had our Murder Mystery weekend ‘EMERGENCY ROOM’ on the 6th & 7th March, which was a great hit with our guests as they got to solve the crime and have a wild weekend at the same time. We also have another ‘Murder ‘weekend planned for the autumn ‘Haunted House’ at the  Halloween Weekend.

Right throughout the summer we will be updating our specials regularly so keep an eye on them for the best offer in town .Killarney has plenty to offer you all year round with festivals, concerts, and loads of activities for all the family. The Killarney Court is ideally sited to make use of these as we are just on the edge of town but not so far as to make a difference.

I hope that you have a good year and that you holiday with us here in Killarney. As always, we are here to help and assist you in whatever way we can. I can be contacted on derek@killarneycourthotel.com . Please feel free to contact me at any time and hopefully I can be of service.

Derek Carroll.

General Manager.